Back in the 2000s, The Pussycat Dolls was a definitive money-making name in the music industry. Originally formed as a burlesque troupe, Nicole Scherzinger and co became a pop group after the suggestion of Interscope CEO Jimmy Iovine. Their worldwide success spans decades thanks to chart-topping singles like "Don't Cha," "Buttons," "Stickwitu," and their multi-platinum debut record PCD. Despite missing one group member, The Pussycat Dolls still managed to replicate the success with their second album, Doll Domination, in 2008.
However, those glory days are long gone. After a series of internal disputes, The Pussycat Dolls broke up and went on hiatus back 2010. There have been talks about a reunion in over the past few years. The girls linked up again for the first time in 2020 with "React," their first single in over a decade, and were about to hop on tour before the global pandemic hit. Here's what the Dolls were up to during the group's hiatus.
6 Kimberly Wyatt
Before The Pussycat Dolls, Kimberly Wyatt was a dancer on the comedy sketch show Cedric the Entertainer Presents and had a cameo credit in Nick Lachey's music video "Shut Up." During those times of PCD's hiatus, Wyatt pursued a range of projects including her judging debut on Sky1's Got to Dance talent show and as one-half of musical duo Her Majesty & the Wolves. A talented cook and actress, she also won BBC One's Celebrity MasterChef back in 2015 and was cast as one of the main characters on CBBC's dramedy Almost Never in 2019.
5 Jessica Sutta
After The Pussycat Dolls, Jessica Sutta went to have a quite successful solo career. She scored history as the first PCD member to top the Billboard Club chart in their solo endeavors with her uptempo electropop debut single, "Show Me," back in 2011. Her debut album as a solo artist, I Say Yes, was released in 2017.
"I learned a lot from Nicole [Scherzinger],” the dancer/singer told Billboard on how the PCD frontwoman propelled her career in a 2017 interview. “She made me work hard, because my voice wasn’t where it’s at today."
4 Carmit Bachar
In addition to her impressive portfolio as one of the Pussycat Dolls, Carmit Bachar went on to star in several iconic music videos during her stints with the Dolls. She has appearance credits in Jay-Z and Bey's "Crazy In Love" iconic music video, Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat," "Shut Up" for The Black Eyed Peas, and more. She left the group in 2008 to pursue solo projects and welcomed a new addition to her life, a daughter named Keala, in 2011 from her marriage to her longtime partner Kevin Whitaker.
3 Nicole Scherzinger
As the lead singer of The Pussycat Dolls, it comes to no surprise that Nicole Scherzinger got the most exposure out of all the members. Since the group was disbanded, Scherzinger ventured into many sides of her artistry. She served as a judge for many talent shows including The Sing-Off, The X Factor US and UK for five seasons, and Australia's Got Talent. Additionally, she also possesses a few impressive titles in her filmography: Men In Black 3, Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and the recently-released Annie Live! musical special.
"A lot of that stole the joy of what I was doing, because I was living in a very dark world. I was either working or tormenting myself," she recalled to The Guardian about her body image issues during the earlier days of The Pussycat Dolls and the pressure of being that perfect image of a woman, “I didn’t get to enjoy it before.”
2 Melody Thornton
Ten years after departing The Pussycat Dolls to pursue solo career, Thornton managed to release her debut EP, Lionness Eyes, back in August 2020 under A&M and Republic Record imprints. Besides that, she's also been featured in several exciting musical projects: "Something About You" on rap legend LL Cool J's 13th album Authentic and a guest appearance in Fat Joe's "Ballin'" all in 2013.
"I gave up my house, I gave up my car, I put everything in storage. I lived on tour, I never bought anything for years," she told Entertainment Tonight about her sacrifice to make her solo career happen. "It’s a different bed every single night. I would stay with my best friend [at home] in between trips. So, like, three weeks at a time, I would sleep on his couch and then get back out on the road and this went on for years."
1 Ashley Roberts
Four years after The Pussycat Dolls, Ashley Roberts released her debut album, Butterfly Effect, through Metropolis London Music album. Her debut single, "A Summer Place," was released in 2010. In addition to that, she's also competed in some of the most prestigious TV talent shows like Dancing on Ice and Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and 2018, respectively.